Automatic separator



Dec. 24, 1940. H. BROWN 2,225,974

AUTOMAT IC SEPARATO R Filed Oct. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l Zhwentor Harold Brown,

Gttorneg 7 Dec. 24, 1940. H. BROWN AUTOMATIC SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet Zhwentor Harold/Brown f Gttomeg- Dec. 24, 1940. BROWN AUTOMATIC SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 w&

F 3 Q2 m1 3 3 Q2 u n m 0 t m2 Wm 92 v:

Snventof: Harald .3 r0 11/77,,

attorney Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 5,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for sorting and classifying substances of different size and density, and While the apparatus may be employed to advantage in treating a large variety of substances it is intended more particularly for separating particles of gold and other precious metals from waste material.

In carrying out my invention I provide means in the form of a rotary cylinder for agitating the particles to separate those adhering to each other and then initially sizing the particles and disposing of those too coarse for further treatment. The remaining particles are discharged from the cylinder upon a vibratory pan having rifiles and guards which continue the sizing operation by separating the particles into groups, those in the initial group being smallest, those in the second group being a little coarser and so on on to the final group which has the largest particles.

The different groups are discharged from the vibratory pan through respective spouts into a like number of units of a classifier in which the particles of each group are finally sorted according to size and then, through the aid of air blasts, 25 graded according to density, or specific gravity.

The apparatus also includes means for separating iron particles, when present, from the rest of the materials. Water, when available, may be used to assist in sorting the particles, but its use is not essential except for motive power employed in operating the apparatus.

Other features will hereinafter appear and in order that the invention may be fully understood reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic side view partly in section of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with some of the upper elements partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is an irregular vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, of one of the air nozzles and associated valve of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of a housing and screen on line 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken longitudinal section of a vibratory pan.

In practice the substances to be treated are in- 5 troduced into a hopper 2 provided at its lower portion with a chute 4 which discharges the substances into the receiving end of a rotary cylinder 6 having a screen 8 near its discharge end, for initially sizing the particles composing the substances.

1938, Serial No. 233,405

The rotary cylinder 6, which is open at both ends, is provided with spokes l2 radiating from centrally-disposed hubs l4 fixed upon a shaft I6 extending axially through the cylinder and mounted in bearings l8 secured to a frame IS. The cylinder 6 may be driven by any suitable means, a pulley fixed to one end of shaft It being shown in the present instance for that purpose.

After the substances have been discharged inm to the receiving end of the cylinder 6 they are moved towards the discharge end thereof by a suitable number of spiral ribs 22 fixed to the inner surface of the cylinder and extending longitudinally thereof. The rotary action of the cyl- 15 inder 6, in conjunction with the spiral ribs 22, agitate and. thereby separate the different particles adhering to each other, so that the smaller particles may pass through the screen 8, While the larger particles, too coarse for treatment, are discharged into a chute 24 leading to the dump.

The particles which pass through the screen 8 fall upon a vibratory pan 26 which continues the operation of sorting the particles according to size. The bottom of the pan 26 is provided with fixed riflies 28, arranged at an angle as shown to direct the small particles towards a series of spouts 30 leading from one side of the bottom of the pan. Entrance to the spouts 30 is controlled by a series of associated guards 32, 39 secured to the adjacent side of the pan with bolts 34 which extend through slots 36 in the respective guards to permit up or down adjustment thereof. The guard 32 nearest the receiving end of the pan is adjusted the closest to the bottom of the pan so that only the finest particles can pass beneath said guard to the associated spout. The space between the remaining guards and the bottom of the pan is progressively increased, the space nearest the discharge opening 21 of 40 the pan being the greatest.

In order that the pan 26 may be effective in its operation of sizing the particles it is inclined towards its discharge end, suspended with hangers 42 from frame I9 and given a reciprocatory 45 motion through a vibrator comprising a cam 44 and a spring 46. The cam 44 is fixed upon a shaft 48 driven by suitable means such as a pulley 50. The spring 46 is secured at one end to the lower end of the pan 26 and at its oppo- 50 site end to the frame l9 which is provided with a bearing 54 in which the shaft 48 is journaled.

At each revolution the cam 44 impinges against an antifriction roller 56 mounted at the front end of the pan 26 and pushes the latter backward 56 ing The sized particles pass in groups through the respective spouts of the pan 26 into an underlying series of classifiers 60, equal in number to the groups, which cooperate with air blasts in finally separating the particles according to size and classifying them according to density. Those particles too coarse to pass beneath the guards 32, are discharged through the lower opening 21 of the pan 26.

Each classifier includes a housing 62 provided at its upper end with a hopper 64, arranged immediately beneath a respective spout 30 to receive the group of particles discharged therefrom. A magnetic roll 66 is arranged in each housing 62, just beneath the hopper 84, to attract any magnetic particles such, for instance, as iron and carry them around to a scraper 68 which dislodges the particles so they may drop into and be disposed of with a chute Id. The magnetic rolls 66 are fixed upon a shaft 55, journaledin bearings 61 and driven with a pulley 69.

The nonmagnetic particles fall upon an inclined screen I2 arranged in the housing 62 and comprising sections i4, I6, 18, 80, 82 and 84, respectively. The number of screen sections, like the number of classifiers may be increased or diminished as desired. The uppermost screen section 14 has the finest mesh while the others are progressively coarser, the lowermost section 84 being the coarsest. Particles too coarse to pass through section 84 escape through an open- 86 located between the lower end of said section 84 and the adjacent side of housing 62 to prevent the screen 12 from becoming clogged with the coarse particles. Vertical partitions 88 extend downward from the screen sections to the open lower end of the housing 62 to-prevent any intermixing of the different sizes of particles in their descent to a conveyer 96, one of which is arranged to travel beneath the open lower end of each housing 62, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2.

That portion of each housing 62 enclosing its respective screen I2, is arranged obliquely to the line of travel of the underlying conveyer 90, as shown by Fig. 2, to deposit the particles in an oblique line upon the conveyer with the coarser particles at a point nearest the air blast (above referred to) discharged from an associated branch pipe 92, leading from a main 94 supplied with a blower 96 communicating with one end of said main. The other end of main 94 is closed with a cap 98, so that sufiicient pressure may be accumulated to insure an equal volume of air to the respective branch pipes 92.

Each branch pipe 92 has a nozzle I50 with a flaring mouth to discharge a broad, shallow stream of air across the upper surface of the associated conveyer 90, which impinges against the particles as they fall from the respective housing 62 and thus sorts the particles in accordance to their density, the lighter and less valuable particles being'blown towards the opposite side of the conveyer 90, while the heavier and more valuable particles remain at approximately the same place at which they were deposited upon the conveyer.

The volume of air discharged from each nozzle NIH is controlled with a valve I02 hinged to one side of the nozzle as indicated at I84, so that it may be swung upward at an angle through a slot in the top of the nozzle to permit discharge of the desired volume of air. After being opened to the desired point valve I02 is secured against accidental movement with suitable means such as a bolt I66 provided with a thumb-nut I68 and extending through a slotted sector IID fixed on top of the nozzle I00.

When raised valve I02 leaves a triangular opening I03, the apex of which is disposed opposite the smaller particles deposited upon the associated conveyer 98, so they will not be subjected to as much air pressure as the larger particles nearer the base of the triangle which is .so disposed that the finer particles will not pass through the larger volume of air as they are carried forward by the associated conveyer. The apex of the triangular opening I03 points in the direction of travel of the associated conveyer 90, so that the larger light particles will not be blown across the fine particles by the large volume of air discharge from the base of the triangular opening I03.

Each nozzle I30 discharges the air blast beneath an associated hood II2 preferably of the same Width as the flaring mouth of the nozzle and extending across the associated conveyer 9!) to confine the air blast close to the upper surface thereof. In order to prevent the particles discharged from the associated housing 62 being blown from beneath hood I I2 the rear margin I I4 and two side margins I I6 thereof are bent downward and terminate close to the top of the associated conveyer 9f), the front being left open for the passage of the particles as they are carried forward by the conveyer.

Each conveyer 90 comprises an endless belt II8 mounted upon rolls I20 and I22, fixed upon shafts I24 and I26, journaled in bearings I28 and I30, fixed upon standards I32 and ISE, respectively. Shaft I26 may be driven by any suitable means, a pulley I36 being shown, in the present instance, for that purpose.

Rotary agitators I33 are provided to cooperate with the air blasts in sorting the graded particles by impinging against the undersides of the upper strands of the belts H8 and thus agitating the particles thereon so that they may be acted upon more efficiently by the blasts. The agitators I33 are mounted upon shafts I40 driven with respective pulleys I42.

A plurality of bins I44 and a spout I45 are arranged at the discharge end of each belt N8, the bins to receive the heavier and more valuable particles and the spout the light refuse material which is delivered to an endless conveyer I48 that conducts it to the dump. Suitable means such as a pulley I53 is provided for driving the conveyer I48.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a separator that is well adapted for the purpose intended, and while I have shown one form of the invention I reserve all rights to such other forms and modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a separator of the class described, a belt conveyer, an inclined screen divided into a plurality of sections the mesh of which progressively increases in coarseness from the upper section to the lower section for separating particles of different sizes, a housing inclosing said screen and having a discharge opening arranged to deliver the particles in an Oblique line upon the conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the particles progressively increasing in size toward the other end of the line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end of the line in the direction of travel of the conveyer, and a nozzle at the side of the conveyer nearest the coarsest particles for discharging a blast of air across the conveyer and the line of particles thereon to separate the particles according to their respective densities.

2. In a separator of the class described, a belt conveyer, an inclined screen divided into a plurality of sections the mesh of which progressively increases in coarseness from the upper section to the lower section for separating particles of different sizes, a housing inclosing said screen and having a discharge opening arranged to deliver the particles in an oblique line upon the conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the particles progressively increasing in size toward the other end of the line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end of the line in the direction of travel of the conveyer, a nozzle adjacent to the coarsest particles and flaring towards its mouth to discharge a broad stream of air across the conveyer and the line of particles thereon to separate the particles according to their respective densities, and a valve hinged at one end to said nozzle and near one side of the latter to leave a triangular opening with its base nearest the coarser particles and its apex nearest the finer particles.

3. In a separator of the class described, a belt conveyer, an inclined screen divided into a plurality of sections the mesh of which progressively increases in coarseness from the upper section to the lower section for separating particles of different sizes, a housing inclosing said screen and having a discharge opening arranged to deliver the particles in an oblique line upon the conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the particles progressively increasing in size toward the other end of the line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end of the line in the direc tion of travel of the conveyer, a nozzle adjacent to the coarsest particles and flaring towards its mouth to discharge a broad stream of air across the conveyer and the line of particles thereon to separate the particles according to their respective densities, a vertically adjustable valve hinged at one end to said nozzle and near one side of the latter to leave a triangular opening with its base nearest the coarser particles and its apex nearest the finer particles, and means on the nozzle and the valve for holding the latter in any of its adjusted positions.

4. In a separator of the class described, a belt conveyer, means for depositing particles of diiierent sizes in an oblique line upon said conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the size of the particles progressively increasing toward the other end of said line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end in the direction of travel of the conveyer, and means adjacent to the coarsest particles for delivering an air-blast across the oblique line for separating the particles according to their respective densities.

5. In a separatorof the class described, a belt conveyer, means for depositing particles of different sizes in a line upon said conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the size of the particles progressively increasing toward the other end of the line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end in the direction of travel of the conveyer, means for delivering an air-blast across the line of particles to separate them according to their densities, and means for progressively increasing the volume of the air blast toward the side nearest to the coarsest particles.

6. In a separator of the class described, a belt conveyer, means for depositing particles of different sizes in an oblique line upon said conveyer with the finest particles at one end of the line and the size of the particles progressively increasing toward the other end of said line, the end containing the finest particles being in advance of the other end in the direction of travel of the conveyer, means adjacent to the coarsest particles for delivering an air-blast across the oblique line for separating the particles according to their respective densities, and means for progressively increasing the volume of the air blast toward the side nearest to the coarsest particles.

7. The process of separating particles of different sizes which consists in disposing the particles in an oblique line in a horizontal plane with the finest particles at one end of the line and the size of the particles progressively increasing toward the other end of said line, moving the line of particles with the end containing the finest particles in advance of the other end of the line, and subjecting the particles to an air-blast delivered transversely to their line of travel and at the side nearest to the coarsest particles to separate the particles according to their densities.

HAROLD BROWN. 

